You Tai, Chinese Jewish in China


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Identity

In the 1990 census the government officially noted the You Tai, before classifying them as part of the Han Chinese nationality. The You Tai are already extinct as an ethnolinguistic people, but they do retain a common pride in their lost heritage. One visitor reported, "They were very curious about their origins, though physically and culturally they seemed indistinguishable from other Chinese." Most of the inhabitants of Kaifeng are aware of the existence of the You Tai and can direct visitors to the location where their synagogue used to stand.


History

Although now more of a historic novelty than a distinct people group, the You Tai have a rich and fascinating past. Jews have been in China since at least the ninth century AD. One scholar claims the You Tai migrated to China from Persia and Yemen 1,000 to 1,500 years ago. In the thirteenth century Marco Polo described Jews living in mixed communities with Nestorian Christians at various places along the Old Silk Road. When the Jesuits reached China in the sixteenth century they "found a colony of Jews in Kaifeng, but no Christians." Matteo Ricci established that there were 10 or 12 families of Israelites in Kaifeng - "all expert in the Hebrew language" - but discovered a much larger Jewish community in a place he refers to as Cequian at the capital of Hamcheu. Scholars have not been able to identify these places. The Jews in Kaifeng constructed a synagogue in 1163 which was destroyed by a flood in 1461. Kaifeng grew to a thriving population of 20,000 Jews and was known as the "Jerusalem of China." Another flood of the Yellow River in 1642 again destroyed the synagogue. In the seventeenth century there were a dozen Jewish communities throughout China and Tibet. They retained their religious practices as Jews right up to about 1850, when, "poverty stricken and isolated for centuries from any contact with other Jews, they demolished their own synagogue and sold the bricks."


Customs

The You Tai today have completely assimilated to the Han Chinese culture and have no distinct customs left.


Religion

After the final destruction of the synagogue in 1850, all practice of Judaism among the You Tai ceased. Scrolls of the Pentateuch (five Books of Moses), which had been carefully preserved for centuries, were sold to Christian missionaries in the late 1800s. Most You Tai are nonreligious, while a few families in Kaifeng have been converted to Islam by neighboring Hui communities.


Christianity

There are some Christians today among the You Tai. A letter from the You Tai leaders in 1870 said in part, "Morning and night with tears in our eyes and with offerings of incense, we implore God that our religion may flourish again."


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the You Tai, Chinese Jewish in China.


Profile Source:   Operation China, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  

People Name General You Tai, Chinese Jewish
People Name in Country You Tai, Chinese Jewish
Pronunciation yo tye
Alternate Names Chinese Jews; Jews
Population this Country 3,000
Population all Countries 3,100
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 5
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed
People ID 18734
ROP3 Code 114369
ROP25 Code 309044
ROP25 Name You Tai / Chinese Jew
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 19  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Approximately 750 You Tai - or Chinese Jews - live scattered throughout several cities of eastern China. The majority, "200 to 300," are located in Kaifeng City in Henan Province.   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 19  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Approximately 750 You Tai - or Chinese Jews - live scattered throughout several cities of eastern China. The majority, "200 to 300," are located in Kaifeng City in Henan Province..   Source:  Operation China, 2000

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Non-Religious
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 25.00 %)
30.00 %
Ethnic Religions
20.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
10.00 %
Non-Religious
40.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Chinese, Mandarin (3,000 speakers)
Language Code cmn   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Chinese, Mandarin (3,000 speakers)
Language Code cmn   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Chinese, Mandarin

Primary Language:  Chinese, Mandarin

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1864-1986)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1857-1981)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1874-2018)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories Story Runners
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus film: view in Mandarin Chinese Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
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General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Operation China, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Profile Source Operation China, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©  Used with permission 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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